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Community groups call for scrutiny of Nashville's Amazon deal after New York plans pulled

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An altered Amazon box sits on the panel to represent the company that declined to send a representative to the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" atEast Nashville Magnet School on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

The crowd listens to a panel discussion at the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Nashville Councilman Brett Withers listens to a panel discussion at the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

The crowd listens to a panel discussion at the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Seattle Councilperson Teresa Mosqueda speaks at the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Guests register at the door of the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Anne Barnett, co-chair of Stand Up Nashville, speaks at the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

David Plazas, Tennessean Opinion and Engagement Director, speaks at the Stand Up Nashville event called "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

David Plazas speaks with Seattle Councilperson Teresa Mosqueda at the Stand Up Nashville event: Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville Friday at East Nashville Magnet School Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

The crowd listens to a panel discussion at the Stand Up Nashville event: Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville Friday at East Nashville Magnet School Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Tamika Doulas offers t-shirts for a donation at the Stand Up Nashville event: Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville Friday at East Nashville Magnet School Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Larry McCormack / The Tennessean

Community activists, labor union leaders and a Seattle councilperson called for greater scrutiny of Nashville's deal with Amazon to develop a new downtown operations hub during a town hall meeting Friday evening.

Amazon officials, who met with union leaders the day before, said intense political opposition caused them to back out.

Seattle councilwoman Teresa Mosqueda told about 200 attendees that income inequality has skyrocketed since Amazon established its Seattle headquarters.

"Don't do what Seattle did and flinch when Amazon flexes," Mosqueda said. "Do what New York has done and say: 'Well then, go.' Because our values are more important than jobs that don't pencil out for all of Nashville."

An altered Amazon box sits on the panel to represent the company that declined to send a representative to the Stand Up Nashville event entitled "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday.(Photo: Larry McCormack / The Tennessean)

The event, "Tipping Point: Amazon and The Future of Nashville," at East Nashville Magnet School, was hosted by Stand Up Nashville, a coalition of community organizations and labor unions. David Plazas, The Tennessean's opinion and engagement director, moderated the panel discussion.

Yellow t-shirts reading: "Amazon Gentrification Now with 2 day Delivery" were distributed.

'We have more homeless people now than the city of Los Angeles'

"In 2012, our housing costs were 35 percent over the national average. They're 113 percent over the national average now," she said. "We have more homeless people now per capita than the city of Los Angeles."

Amazon officials declined to participate in the event, but met separately with Stand Up Nashville leaders. An empty cardboard box with an altered Amazon logo was displayed on a seat next to the panelists to represent the company's absence.

Seattle Councilperson Teresa Mosqueda speaks at the "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" event at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday.(Photo: Larry McCormack / The Tennessean)

An Amazon spokesperson told The Tennessean that the company plans to meet with community groups, and will continue to talk with Stand Up Nashville about projects to benefit the community.

The Nashville operations hub is the largest single new jobs announcement in the state's history. It will employ 5,000 workers making an average of $150,000. Amazon officials said it would deliver $1 billion in new tax revenue in the coming decade.

The crowd listens to a panel discussion at the "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" event at East Nashville Magnet School on Friday.(Photo: Larry McCormack / The Tennessean)

Last week, company executives talked about Amazon's culture and plans for the so-called Operations Center of Excellence at "Amazon: Live at the Ryman."

The upbeat event featured a performance by Brad Paisley. Executives said the company's work culture is demanding but rewarding, and that they hoped to hire many local workers but would prioritize the best candidates.

'Make sure they respect your values'

On Friday, Stand Up Nashville co-chair Odessa Kelly said recent Amazon worker rallies in Minneapolis about unfair working conditions should alarm Nashvillians. Workers said they are pressured to work long, hard hours and denied breaks.

"We can't say that it's OK for them to have human rights violations in Minneapolis," Kelly said. "Are we not our brother's keeper?"

Kelly and others also highlighted Nashville's promised $15 million cash payment to Amazon on a $500-per-worker basis over seven years. The grant is part of a larger $102 million subsidy that is mostly state tax breaks.

"All I know is we're giving $15 million of our money to the richest company on Earth," Kelly said. "I want to know where every dollar is going."

Metro council members have yet to approve the $15 million, but are expected to do so. Some council members have asked for equal investments in employee raises and affordable housing.

Councilman Brett Withers listens to a panel discussion at the "Tipping Point: Amazon and the Future of Nashville" event Friday.(Photo: Larry McCormack / The Tennessean)

Paulette Coleman, founding chair of Nashville Organized for Action and Hope's affordable housing task force, said she was disappointed by Amazon's philanthropic efforts.

"They took an old Howard Johnson's hotel and converted it into housing for homeless women and children," Coleman said. "They were touting this as a major accomplishment, but it was only for 80 people."

She asked Amazon to help solve the city's growing affordable housing crisis.

Metro officials say 31,000 new low-income homes will be needed in Nashville by 2025. But state leaders blocked cities from offering inclusionary zoning development incentives to encourage new affordable housing.

Mosqueda said Seattle's high housing costs have forced many downtown workers to live far from the city's center, exacerbating traffic problems.

"Our buses are full. Our trains are full," Mosqueda said. "People just can't afford to get in and out of the city. (Amazon) has become wealthy in many ways because they're not paying into our system. This is your infrastructure, your workers, your home. You want to make sure they respect your values."

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Stand Up Nashville hosted a panel discussion on "Amazon and the Future of Nashville" on Friday.
The Tennessean

Sandy Mazza can be reached via email at smazza@tennessean.com, by calling 615-726-5962, or on Twitter @SandyMazza.